Full Council debates a cross-party motion on 11 November rejecting the Green Party's anti-Zionist vote. A Labour motion on community hubs follows it.

Westminster councillors will debate a motion declaring that “Zionism is not racism” at the Full Council meeting on Wednesday 11 November. It is moved by a Conservative Cabinet member and seconded by a Labour councillor.

The motion is a response to the Green Party’s conference vote last month. It asks the council to reject the Greens’ position and write to synagogues across Westminster. The text is in the Full Council agenda, published on 3 November.

Who is moving it

The motion is moved by Cllr Hannah Galley, the Conservative Cabinet Member for Children and Education and a councillor for Abbey Road. It is seconded by Cllr David Boothroyd, a Labour councillor for Westbourne. Party roles are from the council’s list of councillors.

What the motion says

The motion notes that the Green Party of England and Wales voted at its Brighton conference on 4 October 2026 to declare itself an “anti-Zionist party”. It says the vote was 1,022 to 813, and that the party said Zionism would be “treated as any other form of racism”.

It goes on to say that Zionism “in its most widely understood sense” is the belief that Jewish people have the right to national self-determination in their historic homeland. It says this forms part of the identity of a majority of British Jews, “although Jewish people hold a wide range of views”.

It states that criticism of the Israeli Government “is legitimate and is not antisemitic”. It argues that calling Zionism racism goes further and “brands most British Jews as racists”.

If passed, the council would:

  • affirm that Zionism is not racism and reject the Green Party’s October position
  • reaffirm its support for Jewish residents and its commitment to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, which it adopted in June 2018
  • ask the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition to write to local synagogues and the London Jewish Forum
  • ask the Head of Paid Service to review the council’s equality, diversity and community cohesion training and policies within six months

A motion of this kind sets out the council’s view. It does not change any law or service on its own.

The second motion: community hubs

A Labour motion on the same agenda asks the council to protect its community hubs. It is moved by Cllr Concia Albert and seconded by Cllr Nafsika Butler-Thalassis.

The motion says Labour set up a network of six hubs across the city as part of its “Fairer Westminster” programme. It says residents have launched a campaign to protect the Rampayne Street Community Hub in Pimlico, which it describes as temporarily closed. It also raises concerns about the Lilestone Community Hub near Church Street, and about Community Connector posts whose contracts are “reportedly due to end in March 2027”.

It asks the council to:

  • publish its evidence on the social and financial impact of the hubs
  • guarantee Rampayne Street’s future and reopen it
  • protect the existing hubs
  • keep the Community Connector roles

The motion links the hubs to the council’s Fit for the Future savings programme, which the Cabinet approved on 2 November. That programme aims to save £45m over three years and names prevention and place-based working as priorities. (Cabinet decision)

Also on the agenda

  • Vincent Square: Cllr Ben Sewell, a Conservative councillor for Vincent Square ward, raises “Vincent Square and the challenges of crime and ASB” as a councillor issue.
  • Public questions: members of the public chosen in advance put questions or petitions to Cabinet members.
  • Meeting dates: the programme of council meetings for 2027/28.

What it means for you

  • Watch it: the meeting starts at 7pm on Wednesday 11 November and is live streamed on the council’s website.
  • Go in person: the public gallery at Westminster Council House, 97-113 Marylebone Road, NW1 5PT, has limited space from 6.30pm. Step-free access is through the Sammy Ofer Centre; the council asks wheelchair users to phone ahead.
  • Use a hub: the motion describes Rampayne Street as temporarily closed, so check with the council before you go.

We will report the result of both votes after the meeting.